The Accurate Reloading Forums
Question on a rifle & it's parent company
28 July 2005, 08:34
Mike BirdwellQuestion on a rifle & it's parent company
I found a rifle in the local gun shop yesterday, that I'm curious about. Maybe one of you can enlighten me. It's a wards westerfield bolt action model EJN 757. But it looks exactly like the old browning high power rifles. It is built on a belgium fn action, has the same shape & sytle of the old browning high power rifles. It has made in belgium on reciever. I have never seen a westernfield quite like this. Normally I pass over these type guns, but I though I had picked up a browning, till I looked at the label. Anybody know anything about it?
Regards Mike
Whiskey for my men & beer for my horses
28 July 2005, 08:58
weagleSounds like a westernfield I bought last year. Check this thread:
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tp.../975104051#975104051The one I had looked just like an FN at first but it was actually and intermediate length and had the full c-ring type action. It was a very nice rifle. HunterJim owns it now and I think he's going to build a custom on it.
Weagle
28 July 2005, 09:10
ForrestBSounds like the Montgomery Wards or Western Auto version of one of the Sears JC Higgins Model 50's. Using FN actions, the rifles were made at different times by Husqvarna, Sako and Browning.
The actions are FN commercial mausers. The one's I've seen have a solid left wall (no thumb cut) and C-rings. They are very nice rifles and sold for less than $100 when they came out in the early 1950's.
I have a nice custom 270 built on one of the actions.
______________________________
"Truth is the daughter of time."
Francis Bacon
28 July 2005, 12:52
Old Elk HunterAs you observed it is an FN mauser action that was used to assemble guns for private labels. I would put my money down and consider myself lucky. I have one that I made into a 358 Norma Magnum for elk. Fine action.
RELOAD - ITS FUN!
28 July 2005, 18:41
butchlambertIs this the same as an early Sako, say 1950s? A friend has one in 30-06 that looks like a candidate for a custom. Guesstimate on worth of a donor rifle? Butch
28 July 2005, 18:46
jeffeossoButch,
ballpark, these are NOW in the 250-450 range, rather than about 4 years ago, when 250 for a sears was SKYHIgH
IMHO, the legacy sports mauser with a 400$ list is a better starting point, as it has a good trigger and a 3 pos safety...
and it's sqaure bridged
jeffe
Some of the Westernfield bolt actions are intermediate length. The magazines usually have been opened up in front, and the floorplates have miniature levers on them. These are not FN commercial actions.
The actual source of these commercial C-rings is vague, but if you take the stock off you will find some German marks, including F.W. Heym on the barrel.
28 July 2005, 21:39
HunterJimI do have the rifle that Weagle writes about above. The action is marked with German proofs, and it is an intermediate length (designed for 7X57 likely) with C-ring (not the H-ring of the later FN actions). I want to build a custom .376 Steyr (an intermediate length cartridge). The rifle is definitely a Heym product, but as Kurt says the action source is not certain.
If your rifle is an H-ring and says "Belgium" it likely started life as an FN Mauser action.
jim
jim
if you're too busy to hunt,you're too busy.
28 July 2005, 22:37
HunterJimFrom proofhouse.com:
EJN is a code for Monkey Wards rifles made by the Jefferson Company.
jim
if you're too busy to hunt,you're too busy.
30 July 2005, 05:20
Mike BirdwellThe price is $385, & it is in mint condition. It is a 30/06 cal. Buy or pass???
regards Mike
Whiskey for my men & beer for my horses
30 July 2005, 19:04
RojelioI would buy it if I was you.
They don't make 'em like that any more.
UH....Where's it at?
Rojelio